Delivery of liquids from containers



Aug. 12, 1952 B. J. TODD ETAL DELIVERY OF LIQUIDS FROM CONTAINERS FiledOct. 15, 1945 INVEMTORS TODD BRYAN JAMES ROBERT EDMUND TURNER ATTGRNEY SPatented Aug. 12, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE; I

, pELivEaY orQudiiilZiiroir GoNTaINEitS of New Zealand ApplicationOctober 15, 1945, Serial No. 622,310

' In New Zealand October 12; 1944 Section 1, Public Law 690, August s,1946 Patent expires October 12, 1964 9 Claims.

The invention relates to the delivery of liquids from containers, inconnection with which, it is known to force air into containers for thepurpose of causing liquid to flow or discharge therefrom.

The object of the invention, is to provide improvements whereby airunder pressure may be utilized to cause liquid to be dispensed, or bedischarged from containers in portions or quantitles as desired, bymeans of apparatus adapted to be connected with a source of airpressure, and capable of being operated, so that each time aportion orquantity of liquid is required to be drawn therefrom, said portion orquantity is ejected from the container, either under the action ofair'pressure in the latter, or as the result of opening the container tothe air pressure source, or by both, as may be'desired or foundnecessary.

The improvements provided by the invention, reside in the use of aliquid discharge or flow pipe with a valve controlled liquid outlettherefrom, adapted to be inserted in a container, and to extendtherefrom; an air transfer pipe or passage fitted with a nonreturnvalve, and an air admission control valve, adapted for connection with asource of air under pressure to direct the latter into the container,and operating means common to the liquid outlet control valve and theair admission control valve, whereby said liquid outlet control valve isenabled to be opened, without opening the air admission control valve,and also whereby said control valves are enabled to be both opened atthe same time.

The invention will however be more particularly describedwith the aid ofthe accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a view in sectionalelevation {if apparatus embodying the improvements,

Figure 2 a cross sectional view on the line A--A, Figure 1, and t Figure3 a detail View in sectional elevation, illustrating means for enablingthe air pressure in the container to be varied as required.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided a liquid discharge orflow pipe I which is inserted in a closed liquid container 2 and extendsto or near the bottom thereof, said pipe I having externally of thecontainer 2 and above the highest available liquid level therein, avalve controlled outlet 3 for liquid to be discharged from the container2.

Means for introducing air under accurately controlled pressure into thecontainer 2, comprise an air transfer pipe or passage 4 leading to 2 theinterior of the container 2 above the highest liquid level obtainabletherein from a chamber 5, to which air under pressure is admittedthrough a jet 6 and a Venturi arrangement, past a non-return valve 1,provided in a suitable position in the pipe or passage 4, to prevent theescape of air pressure from the container 2, other than what is utilisedto discharge liquid therefrom.

The air transfer pipe '4 is open to atmosphere through ports 22 in thewall of the chamber 5 for the purpose of enabling air at atmosphericpressure to be drawn into pipe 4. v

Although chamber 5 is always open "to the atmosphere, provision is madein the arrangement for maintaining pressure in the container 2 by thepositioning of the non-return valve 1 between the container 2 and thechamber 5 as set forth above. 2

The air transfer pipe or passage 4, the valve chamber 8, the jet 6, andthe Venturi arrangement, caneither be incorporated in or be combinedwith the discharge or flow pipe I and its fittings, or be formed in orbe provided by fittings formed separately therefrom.

The air admission is automatic in operation, in that it is not actuatedseparately but operates with the fluid dispensing valve 9 when required,and admits a controlled charge of air pressure equal to, or less than, apredetermined maximum, which may be varied to give with a suitable c6-acting Venturi arrangement an ultimate pressure in the container, whichmay be necessary to suit any condition.

In one form of apparatus suitable for enabling air under pressure to beutilised to dispense or cause liquid to be discharged from a container 2in quantities as required, the liquid discharge or-fiowpipe I is'passedthrough a stufiing box I e orthe like fitted in a container 2, so as toextend downwards to the. required depth therein, and also so as toextend above the same to the height required. q

The upper or external portion of the discharge or flow pipe I is curvedand has fitted thereto a valve housing I! which contains a downwardlydischarging opening 3 controlled by a q, cone shaped or tapered valve 9seating therein under the action of a spring E2 on the valve stem l3,and in compression between the valve body and the upper portion of thehousing H.

The stem l3 of the aforesaid cone shaped or tapered valve 9 extendsthrough. a gland H3 in the housing ii, and is engaged by a lever i5pivoted onithe latter, said lever' being capable of being operated byhand to raise the valve 9 against the action of its spring I2 and openthe liquid discharge opening 3.

Preferably the upper end of the valve stem (3 is formed with an openingof a recess 13a therein to receive one end of the lever l5, which is soshaped and mounted that it need'only be pressed against the fitting IIto raise the valve 9. r

The housing I l on the liquid discharge or flow pipe I is also providedwith a nipple I6 or other means, whereby a compressed air supply line isenabled to beconnected thereto so that air under pressure can be passedthrough said housing II, the jet 6, Venturi arrangement, and the valvechamber 8 containing the non-return valve I preferably of the hingedflap type, to the air transfer pipe 4, which leads through the liquiddischarge or flow pipe I to a chamber H in the stuffing box [0, abovethe highest liquid level obtainable in the container 2.

The admission of air under pressure through thejvalve housing Haforesaid to the jet 6 is controlled by a spring pressed ball valve l8,Which normally closes the air inlet from the nipple Hi to the jet 6 viaair admission passages l8a in the gland 20, means for operating saidball valve l8 so as to open the passages I8a comprising a pin 19operable through the gland 20 by a lever 21 on the housing II, andactuated from and by the stem l3 of the cone shaped or tapered valve 9aforesaid, as the result of the hand lever IS on the housing II beingpressed thereagainst.

The admission of air under pressure to a liquid container 2 through achamber or fitting provided with a non-return valve I, enables air underpressure to be retained in the container 2 and to be utilised asrequired, solely for the expulsion of liquid therefrom, without thenecessity of providing for a continuous supply of air under pressure tothe container.

vThus air under pressure can be passed into a container, until airpressure therein is built up to the head required, the liquid beingdispensed or discharged from the container 2 in portions orfquantities,as required, through the discharge or flow pipe. I, under the action ofthe stored pressure, merely upon opening the liquid outlet control valve9, and without opening the air admission valve l8, provision being madefor lost motion between the lever 2| which engages the pin [9 adapted toact on the air admission valve [8 and said pin 19 so that the liquidoutlet control valve 9 can be opened without opening the air admissionvalve l8.

With the apparatus described, it is however, possible to admit air undercontrolled pressure to the container 2, each time a quantity of liquidis drawn off, thereby maintaining the air head in the container 2constant, and not of a gradually diminishing quantity, operation of thehand lever IS on the liquid discharge or flow pipe I, first opening theliquid discharge valve 9, and after the lost motion before referred tohas been overcome, also opening the air admission control valve l8 andadmitting sufiicient air under pressure to the container 2, toreplenish, or compensate for, that used or lost in forcing the quantityor portion of liquid from the container 2, out throughthe discharge orflow pipe I.

Provision is also made for enabling the air admission control valve [8to be opened to admit air under pressure to the container 2, withoutopening the liquid outlet control valve 9, by providing for lost motionbetween the end of the lever 2| which engages the valve stem [3, and thelatter, whereby said lever 2| may be operated to depress the pin l9, andopen the valve I8 without imparting movement to the valve stem l3.

In order to enable the maximum air pressure acting in the container 2,to be altered to suit varying conditions which may be encountered, asfor instance, should the air pressure obtainable from the source ofsupply not be suitable for the conditions encountered, or where liquidsof varying Weight and viscosity require to be dealt with, the jet 6 maybe made removable (Figure 3) so as to be capable of being replaced by afurther jet of different length, and or, containing a bore of differentdiameter, said jet acting in conjunction with a suitable co-actingVenturi arrangement also made removable, for replacement purposes, asrequired.

Dripping of liquid from the outlet 3 following the closing of same bythe valve 9, is reduced to a minimum by forming the seating for saidvalve coincident with the point of exit of liquid from the dischargeapparatus, or in other words, by providing the out 01f of the liquid atsaid point of exit.

Further the valve 9 is made to decrease in diameter downwards either bybeing tapered or rounded, and so as to project below the point of exitof the liquid, when closed on its seating, for the purpose of causingliquid which may run down same, either after the valve has been closedon its seating, or when it has been opened slightly to deliver a smallstream of liquid, to concentrate on the lower portion of the valve andleave same from a predetermined point or position thereon.

What we do claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates of America 1. Means for use in the delivery of liquids fromcontainers, comprising, a liquid discharge pipe adapted to be insertedin a container, and to extend therefrom; a valve controlled liquidoutlet from said pipe; an air transfer pipe open to the atmospherefitted with a non-return valve, said non-return valve being positionedbetween the container and the opening in said air transfer pipe to theatmosphere, an air admission control valve adapted for connection with asource of air under pressure to direct the latter into the container;and a pair of operating means capable of being separably operated commonto the liquid outlet control valve and the air admission control valve,whereby said liquid outlet control valve is enabled to be opened,without opening the air admission control valve, and also whereby saidcontrol valves are enabled to;be 'both operated at the same time.

2. Means for use in the delivery of liquids from containers, as claimedin claim 1, wherein the liquid outlet control valve is enabled to beopened in advance of the air admission control valve.

3. Means for use in the delivery of liquids from containers, as claimedin claim 1, wherein the air admission control valve is enabled to beopened without opening the liquid outlet control valve.

4. Means for the purpose set forth, as claimed in claim 1, wherein theliquid outlet control valve and the air admission control valve areadapted to be operated at the same time by means mounted for operationon the liquid discharge pipe.

5. Means for the purpose set forth, as claimed in claim 1, wherein theliquid outlet control valve is spring actuated to normally close saidoutlet,

and the air admission control valve is spring actuated to normallyprevent the admission of air, means being provided between said valveswhereby the liquid outlet control valve is adapted to be opened inadvance of the air admission valve.

6. Means for the purpose set forth, as claimed in claim 1, wherein themeans for opening the valves, comprise a hand lever pivoted on theliquid discharge pipe, adapted to engage the stem of the liquid outletcontrol valve, and a further lever pivoted on said pipe, adapted toengage said valve stem, and a pin which engages the air admissioncontrol valve, provision being made for lost motion between the leveradapted to engage said pin and the latter, and also for st motionbetween said last mentioned lever and the stem of the liquid outletcontrol valve.

7. In means for use in the delivery of liquids from containers, asclaimed in claim 1, liquid discharge apparatus, provided with a seatingfor a liquid cut-off valve, coincident with the point of exit of the,liquid from said apparatus.

8. In means for use in the delivery of liquids from containers, liquiddischarge apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the liquid out-offValve is formed to decrease in diameter downwards and projects below thepoint of exit, when closed on its seating.

9. Means for use in the delivery of liquids from containers, comprising,a liquid discharge pipe adapted to be inserted in a container, and toextend therefrom: an air transfer pipe fitted with a non-return valve,for directing air under pressure to said container; said air transferpipe being open to the atmosphere, a valve housing on the liquiddischarge pipe; a valve controlled liquid outlet in said housing; meansfor connecting a source of air under pressure, with a valve chamber insaid housing; an air admission control valve in said chamber; a jet anda Venturi arrangement between the latter and the air transfer pipe, theair openings in said air transfer pipe being between said non-returnvalve and said air admission valve, an operating lever on the housingadapted to engage the liquid outlet control valve: a further lever onsaid housing adapted to engage the liquid outlet control valve, and apin which acts on the air admission control valve, with provision forlost motion between said pin and the lever adapted to engage same, andalso between said last mentioned lever and the stem of the liquid outletcontrol valve.

BRYAN JAMES TODD. ROBERT EDMUND TURNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 706,423 Kleinfeldt Aug. 5, 1902824,249 Kleinfeldt June 26, 1906 1,072,239 Kleinfeldt Sept. 2, 19131,938,174 Davis Dec. 5, 1933 2,035,202 Smith Mar. 24, 1936 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 303,735 Italy Aug. 13, 1933

